Machine for making boxes



Dec. 15, 1931. E. CRAIG MACHINE FOR MAKING BOXES Filed March 22, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet 1 WW! N 1 imw fg Dec. 15, 1931. cRAlG MACHINE FOR MAKINGBOXES Filed March 22, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 p5.. ...u.. I :NW 1 I I 2%.:I INm F Dec. 15, 1931; E. CRAIG 1,836,226

MACHINE FOR MAKING BOXES Filed March 22, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 EUQJZZEW:

Dec. 15, 1931. E. CRAIG MACHINE FOR MAKING BOXES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledMarch 22, 1928 Dec. 15, 1931. E. CRAIG MACHINE FOR MAKING BOXES L928 5Sheets-Sheet 5 F'i led March 22,

i l in 0 a z z n J J g Patented Dec. 15, 1931,

UNITED STATES Search R001 PATENT OFFICE EDWARD CRAIG, OF ST. JOSEPH,MICHIGAN; THE COMMRCIAL NATIONAL BANK, Ex-

ECUTOR OF SAID EDWARD CRAIG, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO SARANAC MACHINECOMPANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN MACHINEFOR MAKING BOXES Application filed March 22,

This invention relates to machinery for making boxes or receptacles orcontalners, and more particularly to machinery for making boxes frompaper or pulp board, or other sheet material, such as suit boxes or thelike, which are made and shipped in flat condition, but which can thenbe quickly reduced to box form for use.

Generally stated, therefore, the object of the invention is to provide amachine which will be capable of automatically feeding and folding a boxblank and of stapling the blank in folded condition, whereby the desiredbox is produced in finished condition, but in flat form, so that boxesof this kind can be economically shipped in practically solid stacks orbundles, but whereby each collapsed box can then be unfolded, andreduced to box form for use.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiencyand the desirability of a box blank folding and stapling machine of thisparticular character.

To these and other useful ends, the inven tion consists in the mattershereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a box blank folding and staplingmachine embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, transverse section on line 2-2 in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a similar section on line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the first section of said machine.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on line 55 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the second section of the saidmachine.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal, vertical section on line 7 7 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of one of the box blanks.

Fig. 9 is a similar'view, showing the first step in the folding andstapling of said blank.

Fi 10 is a similar view, showing the second step in the folding andstapling of said blank.

1928. Serial No. 263,887.

Fig. 11 is a perspective of the box formed by unfolding the collapsed orflattened box structure shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

As thus illustrated, the box blanks which are fed into the machine areof the kind shown in Fig. 8, each blank being provided with arectangular bottom section 1, rectangular side sections 2, rectangularend wall sections 3, corner flap sections 4 and 5, and end flaps 6, thesaid sections and flap portions being formed by the crease lines orscore lines 7, 8, 9 and 10, as shown. The first step in the method, asshown in Fig. 9, is to fold under the side walls 2 and the flap portions4 and 5, and to then insert staples 11 through the end walls 3 and theflap portions 5, as shown. The next step, as shown in Fig. 10, involvesthe folding under of the end flaps 6 and the insertion of the staples 12through these flaps and the end walls 3, 70 as shown. This results in acollapsed or flat tened box which can be unfolded and re duced to theshape and form shown in Fig.

11 of the drawings.

The machine for practicing the foregoing 7 method comprises a firstsection consisting preferably of a table 13 upon which the blank isplaced longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. From thistable the blank is pushed forward by a pusher 14 secured to a rod 15that has its other end connected to the pivoted lever 16, which latterhas a roller 17 for engagement with the cam 18 on the shaft 19 of thesecond section of the machine. This forward feed of the blank will bringits front end between the upper feed belts 20 and the lower feed belts21, with the side wall sections 2 of the blank under the folder rods 22.It will be understood that it is the spring 23 that actuates the pusher14 back into its normal position after the cam 18 has actuated thepusher to feed the blank forward. The rods 22 serve to bend the sidewalls 2 of the blank downward, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Therods 22 converge forward and terminate in twisted, strap metal folders24, as shown, and these folders serve to fold the side wall portions 2of the blank upward against the lower surface of the bottom wall section1, as shown 100 in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The upper belts 20 andthelower belts 25 now continue the forward feedin of the blank in thispartially folded condition to the table 26, over which are mounted thefour staplers 27 for driving the staples 11 previously described. Thesestaplers are actuated simultaneously, through the medium of an eccentricconnection 28 on the lower horizontal shaft 29, to drive said staples,said staplers being of any known, suitable or approved form. Beforearriving upon the table 26, the partially folded blank has the scorelines or crease lines 7 compressed and firmly creased by the rollers 30on the shafts 31 and 32, which support the belt pulleys 33, as shown.During the forward feed of the blank in the first section of themachine, it is forced to travel between the upper and lower rollers 34and 35, which rollers bear against the upper and lower belts 20, 21 and25, causing these belts to tightly and frictionally grip the blank andfeed it forward.

It will be seen that the table 26 and the staplers 27 belong to thesecond section of the machine, and that from this table the partiallyfolded blank is fed forward between the upper and lower belts 36 and 37which are similar to the belts previously described. This forward feedof the partially folded and stapled blankis caused by the engagement ofthe feed dog 38 with the rear edge 39 of the partially folded andstapled blank (see Fig. 9 of the drawings), which feed dog is on rods 40actuated by a lever 41 and a connecting rod 42, said lever 41 being inturn actuated by the eccentric device 43 on the shaft 29 previouslymentioned. When the partially folded blank is fed upon the table 26, itmoves endwise between the dog 38 and the other dog 44 on said rods 40,thus" positioning the blank in condition to be stapled. After thestaples are driven, the feeding and stapling being in properly timedrelation, the rods 40 then move backward until the dog 38 engages therear edge 39 of the partially folded blank, and the rods 40 then move inthe opposite direction to feed the blank between the belts 36 and 37.The blank now moves forward with its end flaps 6 below the folding rods45, which are similar to the rods 22 previously mentioned. These willfold the flaps 6 downward in the desired manner. The rods 45 convergeforward and terminate in twisted, strap metal folders 46, which aresimilar to the folders 24 previously mentioned. These folders 46 willfold the flap 6 upwardly against the lower surface of the end wallsections 3 in a manner that will be readily understood. The blankcontinues to feed forward between the upper belts 36 and the lower belts47, rollers 48 and 49 pressing said belts against the upper and lowersurfaces of the blanks, to friction feed the blank forward. The rollers50 and 51 on the belt pulley shafts 52 and 53 compress the; crease lines10 before the blank arrives on the table 54 of the final staplingmachine having the four staplers 55 disposed immedi ately over saidtable. These staplers are actuated by an eccentric device 56 on thetransverse horizontal shaft 57, in a manner that is common and wellknown, and said staplers are of any known, suitable or approved form.The staplers 55 now drive the staples 12 and reduce the blank to theform shown in Fig. 10 of the drawin s.

Upon the table 26, the blank is kicked forward a slight distancelongitudinally thereof by the pusher 58 on the rod 59, this rod be ingactuated by a lever and link connection 60, which in turn is actuated bya cam 61 on the shaft 29 previously mentioned, and the spring 62 servesto yieldingly keep the pusher 58 in normal position. The dogs 63 on therods 40 feed the completely folded blank into position below thestaplers 55 at the same time that the dogs 38 feed the partially foldedblank behind into the feeding belt feed means of the second section ofthe ma chine. Also, at such time, the dogs 64 on the rods 40 feed thecompletely stapled blank oil the table 54 to make room for the nextblank to be stapled. Thus, it will be seen that the staplers 27 and thestaplers 55 operate at the same time, the dogs 38 and 44 and 63 and 64being in the positions which they occupy at the time that a partiallyfolded blank is fed between the dogs 38 and 44 and at the time that thepartially folded blank is feeding between the belts 36 and 37, and atthe time that a blank is being stapled by the staplers 55, while at thesame time the dogs 64 are just e'ecting a finished and flattened orcollapsed ox. In its entirety, therefore, the folding and staplingmachine shown and described is operating simultaneously upon one blankin the feeding instrumentalities shown in Figs. 4 and 5, upon a secondblank below the staplers 27, upon a third blank still farther ahead inthe feeding instrumentalities shown in Fig. 7, and upon a fourth blankstill farther ahead under the staplers 55, whereby four blanks invarious stages of folding and stapling are being operated upon at thesame time. Also, for every blank taken into the feeding and foldinginstrumentalities shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, a finished andflattened or collapsed box is ejected from the other end of the machineby the dogs 64 previously described.

The different folding and stapling instrumentalities can be timed intheir operations in any suitable or desired manner, it

will be understood, and the machine can be operated by a pulley clutch65, through the medium of the gearing 66 and the sprocket belts 67 and68, connected to the feed belt tially folded and partially stapledshafts and the operating shafts 29 and 57, in any; suitable or desiredmanner In Fig. 8 of the drawings, therefore, the arrow 69 indicates thedirection of feed of the blank in the first section of the machine. InFig. 9, the arrow 7 0 indicates the direction of feed of the partiallyfolded blank in the second section of the machine. Thus it will be seenthat the blank first moves endwise, as indicated in Fig. 8, andthereafter moves sidewise in a direction at right angles to its endwisemovement. Both movements, however, are in the same horizontal plane, andthe box is thus formed and stapled upside down, so to speak, as thebottom section 1 of the box blank is uppermost during the folding andstapling operations.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the flaps are advantageouslyfolded down ward, while the blank is being folded by the means providedfor that purpose, and in this way the staples are driven downward andclinched on the inside of the box. Furthermore, the first set ofstaplers drive one set of staples simultaneously, and the second set ofstaplers also drive all of the staples of the second set simultaneously.This speeds up production and insures better results.

As shown and described, the machine has staplers for inserting eightstaples in each blank, to hold the folded blank in collapsed or foldedform, but it will be understood that any desired or preferred number ofstaples can be driven, depending upon the size of the box to be made.The creasing and folding will be the same, for any size of box, but thenumber of staples can be varied, by varying the number and location ofthe staplers, in accordance with the size of the box to be made.

l'Vithout disclaiming anything, and without prejudice to any noveltydisclosed, what I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine for folding and stapling box blanks, thereby to producea stapled box in collapsed or flattened condition, capable of beingunfolded into box form, the combination of primary feeding and foldinginstrumentalities for feeding the box blanks in one direction, havingmeans for partially folding the blanks while traveling in saiddirection, staplers disposed in position to simultaneously receive andstaple the partially folded blanks, secondary feeding and foldinginstrumentalities for feedin the parblanks in a direction at rightangles to said one direction, away from said staplers, said secondaryfeeding and folding instrumentalities having means for completing thefolding of the blanks, and staplers for simultaneously receiving andstapling the completely folded and partially stapled blanks.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said 5 primary feeding andfolding instrumentalio'earch Hot ties being adapted to feed the blanksend-; wise, and to fold under the side walls of each blank, and saidsecondary feeding and folding instrumentalities being adapted to feedthe blanks sidewise and fold under the end flaps of each blank.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said first-mentioned staplersbeing disposed in position to insert staples through the end walls andcorner flap portions of each blank, and said second-mentioned staplersbeing disposed in position to insert staples through the end walls andend flaps of each blank.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which the said feeding andfolding instrumentalities and the said staplers are so coordinated andso relatively arranged that the primary feeding and foldinginstrumentalities are operating on one blank while the said firstmentioned staplers are operating on another blank, and while thesecondary feeding and folding instrumentalities are operating on anotherblank, and while the second mentioned staplers are operating on stillanother blank.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, said first mentioned staplersbeing four in number and being disposed in pairs and with the two pairsspaced a certain distance apart, and the second mentioned staplers beingalso four in number and disposed in pairs with the two pairs spaced thesaid certain distance apart, but with the members of each pair of thesecond mentioned staplers disposed closer together than are the membersof each pair of the first mentioned staplers.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, said first mentionedstaplers'being disposed in position to insert staples at the corners ofan oblong rectangle, and the second mentioned staplers being disposed inposition to insert intermediate staples on the shorter lines of saidrectangle.

7. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with means forautomatically feeding the partially folded and partially stapled blanksfrom said first mentioned staplers to said secondary feeding and foldinginstrumentalities, together with means for automatically feeding thecompletely folded but partially stapled blanks from the secondaryfeeding and folding instrumentalities to the second mentioned staplers.

8. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with means forautomatically feeding the partially folded and partially stapled blanksfrom said first mentioned staplers to said secondary feeding and foldinginstrumentalities, together with means for automatically feeding thecompletely folded but partially stapled blanks from the secondaryfeeding and folding instrumentalities to the second mentioned staplers,and means for automatically feeding the flat box blanks to said primaryfeeding and folding means.

9. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising automatic means belowsaid first mentioned staplers to adjust the position of each partiallyfolded. blank below these staplers.

10. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising means forautomatically feeding the fiat blanks to said primary feeding andfolding instrumentalities.

11. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising means forautomatically ejecting the completely folded and stapled and flattenedor collapsed boxes from said second mentioned staplers.

12. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising automatic means forfeeding each partially folded and partially stapled blank from the firstmentioned staplers to the secondary feeding and foldinginstrumentalities, and for simultaneously therewith feeding eachcompletely folded but partially stapled blank from said secondaryfeeding and folding instrumentalities to the second mentioned staplers.

13. In a box folding and stapling machine, the combination of means forfolding the side wall flaps of the box blank downward and then upwardagainst the under side of the blank, by motion of the blank parallelwith said flaps, leaving the end wall flaps unfolded, and means forinserting staples downward to secure the side wall flaps in foldedcondition at right angles to said end wall flaps.

14. In a box blank folding and stapling machine, the combination ofmeans for folding outside wall portions of the box blank fiatwise uponother portions thereof, by motion of the blank parallel with saidoutside portion, to form a collapsed or flattened rectangular box, andmeans for simultaneously driving a set of staples at both ends of thebox to hold the folded portions in place.

15. In a machine for folding box blanks, thereby to produce a box incollapsed or flat- .tened condition, capable of being unfolded into boxform, the combination of primary feeding and folding instrumentalitiesfor feeding the box blanks in one direction, having means for partiallyfolding the blanks while traveling in said direction, means forfastening the folded ortions to unfolded portions, secondary feec ingand folding instrumentalities for feeding the partially folded blanks ina direction at right angles to said one direction, said secondaryfeeding and folding instrumentalities having means for completing thefolding of the blanks, and means for fastening the finally foldedportions to said unfolded portions.

16. A structure as specified in claim 15, said primary feeding andfolding instrumentalities beingadapted to feed the blanks end- 1,sse,22o

wise, and to fold under the side walls of eachji blank, and saidsecondary feeding and folding instrumentalities being adapted to feedthe blanks sidewise and fold under the end flaps of each blank.

17. A structure as specified in claim 15, comprising means forautomatically feeding the flat blanks to said primary feeding andfolding instrumentalities.

18. A structure as specified in claim 15, comprising means forautomatically ejecting the completely folded and flattened or collapsedboxes.

19. A blank-folding and stitching machine comprising primary andsecondary sections at an angle to each other; travelling blankcarriersfor said sections; folding devices alongside portions of the carrier inthe primary section; folding devices alongside portions of the carrierin the secondary section to fold at an angle to the fold in the primarysection; and means in the secondary section to secure folded portions ofthe blanks to other portions thereof.

20. In a machine for folding and stapling box blanks, thereby to producea stapled box in collapsed or flattened condition, capable of beingunfolded into box form, the combination-of primary feeding means forfeeding a box blank in one direction, means operative by motion of theblank for folding opposite edge portions of the blank downward and thenupward beneath unfolded portions of the blank, secondary feeding meansfor feeding the partially folded blank in a direction transverse of thefirst named direction, means operative by said second feeding motion ofthe blank for folding the other two opposite edge portions of the blankdownward and then upward beneath unfolded portions of the blank, andmeans for inserting fastening devices through said last named foldedportions and the unfolded portions of the blank above the same.

21. A machine for forming fiat-folded boxes from blanks havinglongitudinal and transverse crease lines which form flaps on each edgethereof, the combination of primary travelling blank carriers for movinga blank in one direction, stationary folding members arranged adjacentsaid carriers to engage the flaps on two opposite edges of thetravelling blank and fold the same down and under unfolded portions ofthe blank, secondary travelling blank carriers adapted to receive andmove the partially folded blank in a direction transverse to previouslyfolded portions thereof, stationary folding members arranged adjacentsaid secondary carriers to engage the flaps on the other two oppositeedges of the blank and fold the same down and under unfolded portions ofthe blank, and means operating in timed relation with said carriers forinserting fastening devices through said last named flaps and theunamount.

folded portions of the blank above the same.

22. In a machine for folding and stapling box blanks, thereby to producea stapled box in collapsed or flattened condition, the combination oftravelling blank carriers for moving said blanks singly through themachine, stationary folders arranged adjacent said carriers and adaptedto fold the side wall flaps of the box blank downward and upward againstthe under side of the blank, by motion of the blank parallel with saidflaps, leaving the end flaps unfolded, and means for inserting staplesdownward through said side wall flaps and the unfolded portions of theblank above the same.

23. In a machine for folding box blanks, thereby to produce a box incollapsed or flattened condition, capable of being unfolded into boxform, the combination of primary sections and secondary sectionsarranged at an angle to each other, a platform between said sections,travelling blank carriers for said primary section, a stationary foldingmember arranged adjacent each side of said last named carriers andpositioned to fold the flaps on two opposite sides of a blank down andunder the blank during the travel thereof, said last named carriersbeing arranged to deliver partially folded blanks to said platform,travelling blank carriers arranged to receive partially folded blanksfrom said platform and move the same through said secondary portion ofthe machine, a stationary folding member arranged adjacent each side ofsaid last named carriers and positioned to fold the flaps on the othertwo opposite sides of a blank down and under the blank during the travelthereof, and means operating in timed relation with said travellingcarriers in the primary and secondary sections of the machine andarranged to insert fastening devices downwardly through said lastmentioned folded flaps and the unfolded portions of the blank above thesame.

24. In a machine for folding into flat condition box blanks having flapson each edge thereof, the combination of travelling carriers for movinga blank, stationary folding members arranged to engage the flaps on twoopposite sides of the blank during the travel thereof and fold suchflaps downward and upward beneath unfolded portions of the blank, eachof said folding members having its terminal portion formed of a strip offiat metal twisted on its longitudinal axis and arranged to bend theinturned flaps upwardly under the overlying portions of the blank,

and means for inserting fastening devices through said folded flaps andthe unfolded portions of the blank above the same.

25. A machine for producing fiat folded cartons having weakenedtransverse lines, said machine having means for folding marginalportions of the blanks against other portions thereof, said foldingbeing longi- Search Roan EDWARD CRAIG.

